FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Friday, November 11, 2022
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Ross Sherman, RepresentUs Media Relations Manager, 207-749-2660, rsherman@represent.us
LAS VEGAS – Nevada, a critical swing state in presidential elections, is one step closer to adopting an election system that puts voters first and challenges the two-party establishment. Media outlets officially called the results in favor of Question 3 Friday, which asked voters if the state should use a final-five nonpartisan primary and Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) combination to elect candidates. The measure has to pass again in 2024 to officially become law for the 2026 election.
As of Friday evening, RCV officially passed across the country in four cities, one county and the state of Nevada. 1.7 million more Americans will now live in places that use RCV. If Nevada voters pass Question 3 again in 2024, that number will be 4.8 million. Before Election Day, two states, one county, and 53 cities used RCV.
“The 2022 midterms have been a landslide for Ranked Choice Voting. Nevadans and voters across the country have spoken: They’ve had enough of politicians who only work for themselves, their political party and special interests. They want politicians to be more accountable to the people,” said RepresentUs CEO Joshua Graham Lynn. “Credit for this victory goes to the Yes on 3 campaign, our partners and our volunteers. Because of this historic win, Nevada is one step closer to giving voters better choices and better representation.”
If Question 3 passes again in 2024, Nevada will become the third state in the nation to use RCV for statewide elections. As Alaska and Maine have shown, RCV ensures winning candidates receive support from the majority of voters. It also gives voters the opportunity to rank candidates in order of preference, rather than forcing them to choose between the “lesser of two evils.”
In Nevada’s current closed primary system, only registered Democrats and Republicans can participate. That means candidates can win without appealing to nearly 30 percent of registered voters in the state. Using nonpartisan final-five primaries would force candidates to appeal to all Nevada voters. More than 600,000 Nevada voters who aren’t registered with either major party would finally have their voices heard.
“Ranked Choice Voting is sweeping the nation, and it’s not hard to see why,” said RepresentUs Interim Director of Political Campaigns Megan Caska. “This simple change to our elections benefits the voters, not the political establishment or special interests. In every town, city and state that has switched to RCV, voters like it. We look forward to continuing the momentum and setting the country on a path toward having better elected officials that actually represent the voters.”
The victory for voters in Nevada comes alongside seven other wins for the anti-corruption movement. The RCV initiative in Seattle has yet to be called. RepresentUs and our partners have now notched 169 victories that take power away from politicians and give it to the American voters – where it belongs.
RepresentUs will continue to share results on key anti-corruption ballot measures as they come in, and will be hosting a 2022 Election Recap event on November 15 to go over the victories, lessons learned, and what’s next for the movement.
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RepresentUs is America’s leading nonpartisan organization fighting to protect and strengthen democracy. We unite unlikely allies from across the political spectrum who put country over party to pass pro-democracy laws, fight corruption, and defeat authoritarian threats. We have won more than 160 victories in cities and states across America since our founding 10 years ago. Each win is one step closer to our vision of making America the world’s strongest democracy.